The Hollywood Bowl transforms into the world's largest movie theater when Sing-A-Long Sound of Music returns for the fifth time on Saturday, June 30 at 8 p.m. Pre-film activities and the signature costume parade begin at 6:15 p.m., hosted by actress Melissa Peterman and featuring a special appearance by Charmian Carr, who played eldest Von Trapp daughter, Liesl, in the film. The "Sing-A-Long" version of the beloved Twentieth Century Fox classic film, celebrating the most successful movie musical and the number one family film ever, is a screening of the classic Julie Andrews film musical -- the winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture --in glorious full-screen Technicolor and spectacular six-track digital sound, complete with subtitles so that the whole audience can sing along.

The evening, traditionally a sell-out year after year, attracts both long-time devotees of the film and young audiences who cheer Maria and Captain von Trapp, boo the Nazis, hiss the Baroness, and fill the Bowl with light (lit cell phones, anyway) during "Edelweiss." Creativity and imagination rule the costume parade, which is open to all audience members and in the past has featured everything from adorable Von Trapp children to brown paper packages tied up with string and the gazebo - in human form -- where Rolf and Liesl dance, as well as a healthy assortment of Marias and nuns in all shapes, sizes and sexes. Everyone receives a complimentary Fun Pak filled with interactive props to brandish at appropriate points in the film, and Peterman coaches the audience in their use during the pre-film activities; she also conducts a vocal warm-up. Entertainment prior to the film's start also includes Mitch Hanlon at the organ and the trio, Lorelei und Schatzi, who specialize in German folk music showcasing yodeling, singing, Austrian cowbells and other unusual folk instruments.

The Sound of Music continues to be the most popular film musical in history. Based on the 1959 Broadway show, with original songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, the film, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, premiered on March 2, 1965, in New York City. Since then, it has earned more than $160 million. For more than four decades, generations of adults and children have enjoyed the timeless story of the governess Maria and the family von Trapp. Sing-A-Long Sound of Music is produced with Sing-A-Long Productions by arrangement with Twentieth Century Fox and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization.

MELISSA PETERMAN brought her comedic talent to the hit series Reba as the impossibly perky dental hygienist Barbra Jean, and she recently completed Recipe for Disaster, a family comedy where she plays a vast array of eccentric characters. Peterman remains loyal to her comic roots as the host of 15 Minutes of Fem, a comedy showcase for women at the Egyptian Theatre, and you might catch her at the LA Connection doing the midnight Alumni/Celebrity Improv show. Peterman continues to write her own material with a one-woman show in the works. After graduating from Minnesota State University with theater as one of her majors, Peterman was cast as Madeline Monroe in Hey City Theater's production of Tony & Tina's Wedding. After more than 600 performances, she went on to work as writer and performer at the improvisational comedy theater The Brave New Workshop, which boasts such alumni as Louie Anderson, Peter Tolan, and Al Franken. While with the Brave New Workshop, she also performed at the Chicago Improv Festival and the Big Stink Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. Peterman made her film debut as "Hooker #2" in the Coen Brother's Oscar-winning movie Fargo. She co-starred in the feature comedy How High with Fred Willard, Hector Elizondo, Spalding Gray, and Method Man. Her television appearances include the Oxygen Network sketch comedy Running with Scissors and guest-starring roles in series such as The Pitts and Just Shoot Me. An avid writer, reader, and theater enthusiast, Peterman currently lives and laughs in Los Angeles with her husband, fellow actor John Brady.

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and in 1991 gave its name to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a resident ensemble that has filled a special niche in the musical life of Southern California. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 39th season. Attendance figures over the past several decades have soared: in 1980 the Bowl first topped the half-million mark and close to one million admissions have been recorded. In February 2007, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the third year in a row at the 18th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

SATURDAY, JUNE 30

6:00 Pre-Show; 8:15 Movie

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood

Sing-A-Long Sound of Music

Melissa Peterman, host

Tickets ($7 - $65) are on sale now at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (Tuesday - Saturday, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.), or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, and at all Ticketmaster outlets (Macy's, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations). Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.